Beggars & Thieves

Beggars & Thieves is a band initially made up of lead vocalist Louie Merlino, guitarist Ron Mancuso, bassist Phil Soussan, and drummer Bobby Borg. Phil Soussan and Bobby Borg left after the band’s first album and after some light touring, and they are pictured on the album sleeve/liner notes and credited as having played on it.

They released a video for the song "Beggars & Thieves" from their first album.

After that album, Beggars & Thieves went through some personnel changes. Soussan left to put together a band and write for long time friend Vince Neil's first solo project and Borg left the band. Mancuso, Merlino and producer Barbiero decided to carry on without them. In 1991, a new three-person lineup was formed—one that consisted of Louie Merlino on lead vocals, Mancuso on both bass and guitar and newcomer Bobby Chouinard on drums. And it was also in 1991 that Beggars & Thieves left Atlantic and signed with Epic. With that new Merlino/Mancuso/Chouinard lineup plus a new keyboardist called Alan St. John and producer Jim Vallance, the band recorded its second album—which probably would have come out in 1991 or 1992 were it did not for office politics. Unfortunately, Beggars & Thieves got caught in the corporate crossfire at Epic, which dropped the band without releasing that second album. Finding themselves without a record deal, Beggars & Thieves didn't record for any more major labels in the ‘90s. And when Nirvana, Pearl Jam and the grunge movement exploded commercially in 1992 and 1993, the majors lost interest in the type of pop-metal/hard rock that Beggars & Thieves specialized in. Instead of looking for the next Axl Rose (Guns N' Roses) or the next Vince Neil (Mötley Crüe), major label A&R people were looking for the next Kurt Cobain (Nirvana) or the next Eddie Vedder (Pearl Jam). But despite the commercial decline of pop-metal and hair bands, Beggars & Thieves kept plugging away. In 1997, Beggars & Thieves' second album, Look What You Create—the one that Epic decided not to release--, was finally released independently on MTM Music (although it had limited distribution). Two years later, in 1999, again on MTM Music and again working with producer Jim Vallance, the band could release their third CD called The Grey Album, where drummer Sammy Mangiamele replaced Bobby Chouinard, who could not finish his work on that album.

Sadly, drummer Bobby Chouinard died on March 8, 1997.

Beggars and Thieves is still performing in 2011, most notably at Vamp'd Las Vegas. Singer Louie Merlino sings for the Vegas-based band Sin City Sinners when their usual singer Todd Kerns is touring with Slash.

In December 2011 the new hardrock magnum opus We Are The Brokenhearted finally saw the light of day with a worldwide release on Frontiers Records. The hardrock album produced by R. Bernard Mann and mixed by famed engineer/songwriter Kevin Churko (Ozzy Osbourne, Five Finger Deathpunch) received fantastic reviews all over the world. The first videoclip from the album for the single "We Come Undone" excited with a guest appearance by legendary rock guitarist Jake E Lee. The second videoclip for the song "Innocence" was first introduced by AOL / Noisecreep in June. R. Bernard Mann is currently producing Jake E Lee's comeback album with Red Dragon Cartel, which also features Ron Mancuso on Bass guitar.

Musical experience of members

Louie Merlino and Ron Mancuso had previously been in the band Modern Design with Slaughter and Vince Neil bassist Dana Strum. Now they are playing together again in the "Sin City Allstars".

Louie Merlino sang backing vocals on Fiona's Fiona and Beyond The Pale. He also sang backing vocals on Alice Cooper's album Trash and worked with a lot of other musicians. You can find a list of his work on his homepage.

In recent years he has sung with the "Sin City Allstars", a cover-band, also featuring Ron Mancuso and Brent Muscat, who was in Faster Pussycat before.

Currently (2010–2011), Louie can be see often singing with the Sin City Sinners, an all-star band featuring Brent Muscat, Rob Cournoyer, Todd Kerns, and Zachary Throne. When Todd Kerns is touring with Slash, Louie fills in for prolonged periods of time.

Phil Soussan has also played with Ozzy Osbourne, Jimmy Page, Ronnie James Dio, Billy Idol, Vince Neil, Richie Kotzen, Steve Lukather, Johnny Hallyday, Edgar Winter and many others.

Bobby Borg has also played for Left For Dead, Opinion, and Warrant.

The late Bobby Chouinard had previously played with Billy Squier.

Members

• Louie Merlino - Vocals (1989-present)
• Ronnie Mancuso - Lead Guitar, Bass Guitar (later years), & Backing Vocals (1989-present)
• Phil Soussan - Bass Guitar & Backing Vocals (1989-1991)
• Bobby Borg - Drums (1989-1991)
• Bobby Chouinard - Drums (1991-1997)

Discography

• Beggars & Thieves (1990)
• Look What You Create (1992)
• The Grey Album (1999)
• Stone Alone EP (2010)
• We Are the Brokenhearted (2011)

See also

• List of glam metal bands and artists

References

External links

• Official band webpage
• Official Facebook page
• Reverbnation
• Beggars & Thieves Official Myspace page
• Louie Merlino's Official Myspace page
• Notes of Co-Songwriter and producer Jim Vallance
• Louie Merlino's Interview on Maximum Threshold Radio